Labelling machines



Sept. 13, 1955 s E, BANKS 2,717,711

LABELLING MACHINES Filed May 7, 1952 Inventor By W' A ttorney LABELLINGMACHINES Sydney Ernest Banks, Shefield, England Application May 7, 1952,Serial No. 286,493

Claims priority, application Great Britain May 8,1951

6 Claims. (Cl. 21654) This invention relates to labelling machines ofthe type in which a label is gummed by being caused to adhere to thesurface of a pick-up member and is then applied, gummed-side out, to thesurface of a delivery member, where it is held by suction until it ispresented by that member to a bottle, can, or other article of asuccession of articles fed to the machine. In this type of machine, thegumming of the label previous to its application to the delivery memberensures that the only gum presented tothe article is that on the label,the danger of gum being applied from the delivery member to a part ofthe article not to be covered by the label-and perhaps thence from thearticle to some other part of the machine-heing avoided. Moreover, thecontrol of the label by suction on its application to the deliverymember and then during-its presentation to the article permits the labelto be placed accurately in the desired position on the article.

For firm adhesion of the label to. the article, the labelmust' have gumextending to a substantial proportion of the whole periphery of itsedge, and care must therefore be taken. in making contact to effecttransfer from the pick-up member to the delivery member that that.contact isv not to a gummed portion of the label. Unless this precautionis taken, there is the danger that gum will accumulate on parts of thetransfer mechanism, to. the eventual detriment of the working of thatmechanism.

The invention is concerned with pick-up and delivery members ofcylindrical type, which lend themselves to high-speed operation, becausethe main movements; arising are those of simple rotation, and oneobjectaof the inventionv is to provide for effective transfer of the.label. from one cylindrical member to the other.

According to the present invention, a labelling machine of the type inwhich articles are fed in succession to and through a labelling stationcomprises. a delivery memberin the form of a rotatable cylindricalsurface, a pick-upmember in the form of a secondcylindrical butinterrupted surface rotatable in the opposite. sense and mountedadjacent to the delivery member, but with clearance between itself andthe. delivery member, means to apply gum to the interrupted surface ofthe pick-up member, a label stack adjacent to the pick-up member topresent labels in turn to its gummed surface, for each label. to becarried to a position in which the gummed surface approaches the surfaceof the delivery member, transfer means operable through the interruptedpart of they pick-up member surface and thereby adapted to make contactwith a part of a label not receiving gum and to push the label from thegummed surface on to the adjacent surface of the delivery member, andsuction openingsv in the appropriate part of the delivery membersurfaceto: secure. a transferred label, gummed-side out, to the deliverymember ready for application to, an. article. fed to the deliverymember.

The pick-upanddelivery members are preferably complete: drums, providingcontinuous cylindrical surfaces, of which at least that of the deliverydrum may have-a periphery sufiicient to hold more than one of thesucces- United States Patent 2,711,711 Patented Sept. 13, 1955 sivelytransferred labels, with consequent reduction of its rate of rotation.The label stack may likewise be carried by a stack drum (advantageouslylarge enough to carry several stacks), so that the major elements of themachine all have movements of simple continuous rotation.

It is important that the transfer of a label from the pick-up member tothe delivery member is effected with the-position of the label alwaysunder control. This may be eifected by transfer mechanism using only asimple Continuous rotary drive, e. g. by using a pulley Within thecurved surface of the pick-up member, a circumferential gap beingprovided in that surface opposite the pulley, a pulley outside thepick-up member and approaching the surface of the delivery member beyondthe nearest approach of the pick-up and delivery members to each other,an endless band or belt passing over the pulleys, and means to drive arun of the band through the gap to engage a label at its ungummedsurface resulting from the interruption in the surface of the pick-upmember provided by the gap and to press the label by the band on to thesuction surface of the delivery member. A circumferential groove in thepick-up member may provide both the interrupted surface and one of thepulleys, this pulley being, of course, driven because of the rotation ofthe pick-up member. The approach of the pick-up member to the deliverymember may be quite close, the separation leaving, however, sufficientclearance to avoid transfer of'gum to the delivery member from thegummed surface of the pick-up member not covered by a label. For. anybut very small labels, it is preferable to provide at least two gaps andtwo endless bands, to ensure smooth transfer; the surface of the pick-upmember between pairs of gaps also provides for the central portion ofthe label to receive gum.

Another form of transfer mechanism comprises a pusher operable fromwithin the pick-up member through an aperture interrupting the pick-upsurface, and means to press the pusher through the aperture at thenearest approach of the pick-up member to the delivery member, thusdetaching a label from the gummed surface by engagement with an ungummedpart of the label and carrying it across the clearance space between themembers for it to be secured by suction to the delivery member. Thespace between the members should be substantial, tov ensure the removalof the edges of the label from the gummed surface as the label flexesunder the pressure of the, pusher: Itis most desirable that the label besecured to. the pusher during transfer, to avoid incorrect positioningon' the delivery member. This may be effected by suction applied to thesurface of the pusher. The pusher may have two or more label-engagingsurfaces, co-operating with as many apertures. The pusher preferablyrotates with the pick-up member, so remaining in register with theaperture or apertures; it may then be conveni'ently operated by movingpast a stationary cam.

The peripheral speed of the delivery member is synchronised with therate at which articles are brought to it by the feeding means. If morethan one label is held by suction to a delivery drum at any one time,the drum then makes a partial revolution for each article brought to it.Since the motion is one of rotation,: the speed can readily besynchronised to any practical rate of forwarding articles.

The peripheral speed of the pick-up member should correspond with thatof the delivery drum member, but it may have a lesser diameter, if alarge delivery drurnis used sufficient to hold several labelssimultaneously. If the endless band transfer mechanism is used, theangular rate of rotation of a pick-up drum may. differ from that" of adelivery drum, when successive labels may be picked up at differentparts of the pick-up drum surface, thus ensuring that each part of thesurface transfers gum to labels and avoiding a surplus of gum at anypart of the drum. With pusher transfer, the pick-up drum diameter musteither equal or be a simple fraction part of the delivery drum di.ameter.

If the label stack is carried by a third drum, this is rotatable at thesame peripheral speed as before but in a sense opposite to the pick-upmember. The endmost label in the stack is pressed to the gummed surfaceof the pick-up member and is peeled from the body of labels in thestack. There may be more than one label stack in the third drum, eithersupplying the same kind of label, or more than one kinde. g., if anarticle is to be provided with more than one label at different parts ofits periphery, or if successive articles are to receive different labelsin some predetermined order. A single label long enough to surroundcompletely (or substantially so) the periphery of an article may besupplied by the stack.

The gum may be supplied by rollers, bands, or the like-preferablycontinuouslyfrom a supply of liquid gum to the surface of the pick-updrum.

Various forms of mechanism according to the invention will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a plan of one form of transfer mechanism;

Figures 2 and 3 show another form of transfer mechanism, Figure 2 beinga plan on the line 22 of Figure 3. Figure 3 being a sectional elevationon the line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a part-sectional plan showing another form of transfermechanism.

In Figure l, a pick-up drum 1 has a circumferential groove 2, aboutwhich passes an endless band 3. The band also passes round a smallpulley 4, which presses it into contact with the surface of a deliverydrum 5. A clearance 6 between the drums 1 and 2 is bridged by the band 3as it leaves the groove 2 to follow a short arc 7 of the drum until itmeets the pulley 4.

In Figures 2 and 3, a pick-up drum 8 consisting of spaced flange discs 9on a common shaft 10 has a clearance 11 between itself and a deliverydrum 12. Arms 13 carry grooved pulleys 14 inside the spaces between thediscs 9 and similar grooved pulleys 15 outside the drum 8 and endlessbelts 16 passing round each pair of pulleys 14, 15 are brought intocontact with an are 17 of the drum 12, bridging the clearance 11 as theypass from inside the drum 3.

The edges of the discs 9 receive gum from a transfer roll 18, which inturn receives a level coating from a gum roll 19 provided with a doctor20. The freshly gummed edges are carried past a first label stack 21, atthat moment drawn clear of the edges and Contact a second label stack22. The stack 21 is then brought into contact with the edges. Bothstacks 21, 22 are moved in the direction of rotation of the drum 8 foreach to leave a label adhering to the gummed edges of the discs 9. Thestack 22 is withdrawn to allow the label picked from the stack 21 topass. The stack 21 is also withdrawn. Thus two labels are brought inturn to the gap 11.

The cylindrical surface of the drum 8 is interrupted by the gaps betweenthe discs 9 and the parts of a label overlying the gaps do not receivegum. It is these ungummed parts of the label that make contact with thebelts 16 at the pulleys 14 near the clearance 11, so that there is nodanger of the belts picking up gum any accumulation of which on thebelts might seriously interfere with their correct functioning.

The belts 16 detach the leading edge of each label and press the outer(ungummed) face of the label to the drum 12, leading the label on to thedrum 12 without disturbing the register of the label provided by thesetting of the stacks 21, 22 in relation to the drum 8. The drum 12 isfaced with resilient material 23 and its periphery is pierced withsuction holes 24 connected by flexible tubes 25 (one only shown) to astationary valve plate 26 connected by a tube 27 to a suction source.The rotation of the drum 12 causes suc tion to be applied to a labelheld to the drum by the belts 16 and the label remains adhering incorrect register until it makes contact at the labelling station with anarticle 28 rolled by the drum along a curved presser member 29,concentric with the drum.

The label thus adheres by one central and two outer bands of gumreceived from the three discs 9. More or less discs than three may beused, depending on the dimensions of the label. Similarly, more than oneendless band 3 as in Figure 1 may be used with a pickup drum 1 havingmore than one groove 2. The drum 1 may be gummed as described withreference to Figures 2 and 3.

In Figure l, the band 3 is driven at the peripheral speed of thedelivery drum 5 by the bottom of the groove 2 having that same speed. InFigures 2 and 3, the belts 16 are driven by their contact with the drum12 and so have the same speed as the periphery of the drum.

In Figure 4, labels are applied in turn by stacks 30 carried by arotatable drum 31 to the periphery of a pick-up drum 32 which has beengummed (e. g. as in Figure 2). Each label is received over an aperture33 in the drum 32. In line with each aperture is a transfer pusher 34,normally retracted by a spring 35 to leave the periphery clear toreceive a label.

As an aperture 33 approaches a wide clearance 36 between the drum 32 anda delivery drum 37, a roller follower 38 on the pusher 34 in that gap ismoved outwards as it passes over a stationary cam 39 inside the drum 32and causes the pusher to press against the ungummed surface of the labelover the aperture to commence detachment of the label from the surfaceof the drum 32. The wide clearance 36 allows sufi'lcient travel for thepusher to detach the label completely.

Suction is applied to each pusher 33 via a flexible tube connected to asource of suction (a stationary valve plate as in Figures 2 and 3providing a suitable timing control), so that the label is held to thepusher by a suction passage 41. A label 42 is shown completely detachedfrom the surface of the drum 32 and about to be applied to the resilientsurface 43 of the delivery drum 37. Suction openings 44 through theperiphery of the drum 37 draw the label to the delivery drum and thesuction at the pusher 34 is broken.

The drum 37 then carries the label to a labelling station forapplication to an article, e. g. as in Figures 2 and 3.

What I claim is:

1. A labelling machine comprising a continuously rotatable deliverymember provided with suction openings adapted to hold to the deliverymember the non-gummed faces of labels presented in sequence to themember, whereby the member may present to an article to be labelled thegummed face of a label held to the member, a pick-up drum rotatable inthe opposite direction to the delivery member, at the same peripheralspeed, with a gap between the drum and the delivery member, theperiphery of the drum being interrupted, a gumming device for theapplication of liquid gum to the periphery of H the drum, a label stackmovable to bring labels in turn into contact with the gummed peripheryof the drum for detachment of the labels from the stack in sequence, andmechanical means movable in the interrupted portion of the periphery ofthe drum at the same peripheral speed from within the periphery tobeyond the periphery to engage that portion of a label that is ungummedbecause it lies over the interrupted portion of the periphery, to detachfrom the drum the portion of the label engaged to the gummed periphery,and to carry the non-gummed face of the label across the gap and overthe suction openings of the delivery member for attachment of the labelto the delivery member.

2. A labelling machine comprising a continuously rotatable deliverymember provided with suction openings to hold to the delivery member thenon-gummed faces of labels presented in sequence to the member, wherebythe member may present to an article to be labelled the gummed face of alabel held to the member, a pick-up drum continuously rotatable in theopposite direction at the same peripheral speed, with a gap between thedrum and the delivery member, apertures interrupting the periphery ofthe drum, a gumming device for the application of liquid gum to theperiphery of the drum, a label stack movable to bring labels in turninto contact with the gummed periphery of the drum for detachment of thelabels from the stack in sequence, transfer pushers partaking of therotary movement of the pick-up drum and also movable through theapertures, and means for so moving each pusher through its aperture whenthe aperture reaches the gap between the drum and the delivery member,for the pusher to engage that portion of a label that is ungummedbecause it lies over the aperture, to detach from the drum the portionof the label engaged to the gummed periphery, and to carry thenon-gummed face of the label across the gap and over the suctionopenings of the delivery member for attachment of the label to thedelivery member.

3. A labelling machine as in claim 2, wherein the transfer pushers areprovided with suction openings to hold the label as it is being carriedacross the gap after detachment from the gummed periphery of the pick-updrum.

4. A labelling machine comprising a continuously rotatable delivery drumprovided with suction openings adapted to hold to the drum thenon-gummed faces of labels presented in sequence to the drum, wherebythe drum may present to an article to be labelled the gummed face of alabel held to the drum, a pick-up drum continuously rotatable in theopposite direction at the same peripheral speed, with a gap between thetwo drums, a

circumferential interruption of the pick-up drum periphery, a gummingdevice for the application of liquid gum to the periphery of the pick-updrum, a label stack movable to bring labels in turn into contact withthe gummed periphery for detachment of the labels from the stack insequence, an endless band mounted for movement from within the groove inthe pick-up drum across the gap, and a pulley to guide a run of the bandround part of the periphery of the delivery drum after the band hascrossed the gap, whereby the band may engage the portion of a label thatis ungummed because it lies over the groove, detach the portions of thelabel engaged to the gummed periphery, carry the label across the gap,and apply the non-gummed face of the label over the suction openings ofthe delivery member for attachment of the label to the delivery member.

5. A labelling machine as in claim 4, wherein the endless band passesround the bottom of the groove, to be driven by the rotation of thepick-up member.

6. A labelling machine as in claim 4, wherein a second pulley isprovided for the endless band within the pick-up member, for the band tobe driven by its contact between the pulleys with the part of thedelivery drum periphery into which it is brought into contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS419,399 Ainsworth et al. Ian. 14, 1890 1,355,219 Feybush Oct. 12, 19201,653,910 Meyer Dec. 27, 1927 2,509,902 Banks May 30, 1950 2,525,741 VanHofe et a1 Oct. 10, 1950 2,635,776 Cook et al Apr. 21, 1953 FOREIGNPATENTS 570,572 Germany Feb. 17, 1933 OTHER REFERENCES Modern Packaging,vol. 26, No. 7, March 1953, pp. 92 to 95. Published by Modern PackagingInc.

